Colo lawmakers reject study of merging ed agencies

Denver (AP) - A Colorado House committee has rejected a proposal to study ways to combine the state departments of education and higher education.

The House Education Committee killed the proposed study Monday on a 7-5 vote.

Democratic Rep. Paul Weissmann of Louisville says consolidating the agencies would help the state coordinate education from beginning to end.

The Department of Education oversees K – 12 schools and the Department of Higher Education oversees colleges and universities.

David Skaggs, executive director of the Department of Higher Education, says there's no need to consolidate because the agencies are cooperating. He says combining the departments would put higher education at a disadvantage because public education issues would dominate.(COPYRIGHT 2009 BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

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